In brief...: Rural homes are costlier

Homes in the country cost 15 per cent more than properties in urban areas, pricing many first-time buyers out of the market, figures showed today.

A combination of higher house prices and lower wages also means property in rural areas is less affordable than in urban regions, with homes costing an average of 7.3 times average annual local earnings, compared with 6.1 times annual pay in towns.